Donor set needle and tubing combination



Aug. 19, 1958 R. L. HUBER 2,847,994

DONOR SET NEEDLE AND TUBING COMBINATION Filed March 3, 1953 Fig.l

/2d Fig.9

INVENTOR.

By I Ralph L. Huber Unite States Patent 2,847,994 Patented Aug. 19, 1958DONOR SET NEEDLE AND TUBING COMBINATION Ralph L. Huber, Seattle, Wash;Jennie Huber, administratrix of the estate of said Ralph L. Huber,deceased Application March 3, 1953, Serial No. 339,968 4 Claims. (Cl.128-214) This invention relates to improvements in what are known as andgenerally referred to in the medical profession as blood donor sets.More particularly, it relates to the provision of detachable needles foruse in connection with the flexible tubing as used in donor sets and thelike; it being the principal object of the invention to provide needleequipped blood donor and recipient sets that retain their sterilized,aseptic condition until used; and then permits the ready removal fromthe tubing of the needles for re-use after re-autoclaving; the tubingwhich cannot be re-sterilized, then being discarded.

More specifically stated, it is the primary object of the presentinvention to provide a novel and practical combination of flexible tube,tube closing stopple, needle and needle mounting that provides for theeasy and satisfactory handling of the set in carrying out its intendeduses, and yet permits the easy and ready removal of the needles forsterilization and their subsequent application to a new sterile tube.

It is a further object of the invention to provide needles with mountinghubs of novel form whereby they can be easily and properly applied tothe stopple closed ends of the tubing and which hubs serve as means forfacilitating the manipulation of the needles.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details ofconstruction of the various parts as used in combination; in their modeof assembly and in their manner of use, as will hereinafter bedescribed.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a length of flexible tubing as used indonor sets; showing the tube as equipped at one end with a needle, andshowing a needle ready for application to its other end.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a stopple and needle hub andneedle as applied to the tube end.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a needle and its novel mounting hub.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view hub of an alternative form to the stopple andtube end.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing another novel needle hub andstopple combination as applied to a tube end.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the end portion of a tube andits closing stopple, and showing another form of needle mounting hub asdesigned for application over the tube end and stopple.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the stopple closed end of a tube, and aneedle as equipped with a mounting hub designed for receiving the tubeend therein as has been shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a needle with a novel mounting hub appliedto the sealed or permanently closed end of the tube.

of a needle equipped with a of construction as applied tending flange18. The

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of needle mounting and end of the tube.

The present day blood donor set comprises a length of flexible tubing,usually of plastic, equipped at its opposite ends with tubular, singlepointed needles. One of these needles is designed for piercing thestopple of the bottle which contains or is to receive the blood and theother needle is designed to be applied to a vein of the donor orrecipient. After use of the donor set, it is now common practice todiscard it in its entirety. The tube and its stopples are not items ofmuch expense but the needles and their hubs are relatively expensive.Therefore, it is economically practical to save or recover them forreuse when possible. The present invention makes this saving or recoveryof needles possible through the combination of novel parts as hereindisclosed.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Fig. 1, a length of flexible plastic tubing, as used in a blood donorset, is designated by numeral 10, and when ready for use it is equippedat its opposite ends with needles, herein designated in their entiretiesby numerals 11 and 11x; the latter being shown removed from the tubeend. Prior to use of the set, the needles are enclosed in sterileprotective shields, not herein shown, that are removed just prior touse.

At its ends, the tube is closed by soft rubber stopples, 12, fittedtherein, and as best seen in Fig. 2, substantially inset from the endsof the tube. Each stopple is somewhat greater in diameter, at a locationmedially of its ends than the internal diameter of the tube 10, and isslightly tapered toward its opposite ends. Along the axial line of thestopple, leading from its inner end outwardly, is a socket 13 thatterminates close to the outer end surface of the stopple providing arelatively thin wall as at 14.

The needle cannula 15, is pointed at both ends, as at 16 and 16 and hasa hub 17 fixed thereabout intermediate the ends. The hub has a tubularinner end portion 17 adapted to be fitted within that portion of thetube 10 that extends beyond the stopple 12; this portion of the hubbeing somewhat enlarged intermediate its end and tapered toward its openend for easy application but to cause stretching of the tube and a tightfit when it is pushed into place.

Encircling the hub is an showing still another form and its applicationto the stopple annular and outwardly exneedle cannula 15 is sealedthrough and fixed in the base of the hub. The opposite end portions ofthe needle extend substantially from the hub for piercing the stoppleand for application to a donor or recipient, or through the bottlestopple.

To apply this needle to the tube end, the pointed inner end 16 of thecannula is projected centrally through the thin outer end wall 14 of thestopple 12 and the tubular portion 17' of the hub is projected into thetube end until it seats against the stopple end surface. The parts thenwill be in the relationship in which they are shown in Fig. 2. he flange18 of the hub afiords a good finger and thumb gripping element forapplying the needle to the tube and also for the projecting of the outerend of the needle through the stopple of the blood containing orreceiving bottle.

In Fig. 4, I have shown an alternative form of hub for the needle. Thishub, 20, is solid, and is formed intermediate its ends with a shallowencircling channel 21 or depression, and between this depression and itsinner end, the hub is somewhat swelled to a greater diameter than thetube 10, and is then tapered for easy entrance to the open end of tube.When projected into the tube end, the latter is stretched over theenlargement and caused to draw down tight in the channel 21 to insuresecurity. The outer end portion 22 of the hub is of greater diameterthan the tube 10 and provides a gripping surface for the easyapplication or removal of the needle.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated still another modification of the deviceof Fig. 3. In this, the needle cannula 15 is equipped between its endswith a hub in the form of a round disk 25, rigidly attached thereto; theneedle passing centrally through the disk which, at the inside thereofand encircling the needle, has an inwardly extended neck 26 terminatingin a somewhat enlarged knob 26', leading along the needle and mergingthereinto. This inner end portion of the neck is designed to be forcedthrough the end wall of the stopple 12b following the passage of theneedle therethrough so that when properly applied, the parts will assumethe relationship shown in Fig. and the needle thereby securely held andthe tube end sealed.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a needle as equipped with a hub thatreceives the end portion of the tube within it as distinguished from theshowing in Figs. 2 and 4.

In this combination of parts, the tube has the stopple 12c applied flushwithin its end portion. The stopple is of such diameter as to cause aslight stretching of the tube end when the stopple is applied thereto.Also, the stopple has a shallow encircling valley into which the tube isdrawn for a secure hold. The cannula 15 is equipped with a cup-like huba that receives the end of the stopple closed tube 10 tightly therein,and the cup is shaped to seat in the valley of-the stopple. Also, theentrance to the cup is somewhat flared for easy application butconstricted within the flared end.

Fig. 8 shows a tube 10a that is permanently closed at its end;terminating in a ball-shaped portion 30. The needle cannula I5 isequipped with a cup-shaped hub 31. To apply this needle, the inner endpoint thereof, is projected through the portion 30, and the latter thenseated in the cup-like portion of the hub as shown.

In Fig. 9, is shown still another modification-0f needle mounting. Thecannula is here equipped medially of its ends with two small ball shapedhubs -35. The tube 10 has a stopple 12d seated therein and inwardlyspaced from the tube end. The needle is applied in the same manner asexplained in connection with Fig. 2, and one of the ball shaped membersis caused to be pressed into the tube end as shown.

The donor set, comprising tube 10, as equipped with stopples, needlesand hubs of any of the various forms shown, is easy to use and after useprovides for easy removal of needles for saving, while the tube andstopples are discarded. The needles can be re-autoclaved or sterilizedand reused with safety.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A donor set comprising a length of flexible tubing, a needlepierceable stopple on each end thereof, a pair of double ended needles,said needles respectively having end portions projected axially throughthe said stopples and extending within opposite ends of the tubing,means fixed to each of the needles medially of their respective ends asa finger grip for manipulation thereof in application or removal of theneedles from the tubing and stopples, said means fixed to the needleshaving a portion thereof in holding engagement with the tubing toadditionally seal the tubing and resist accidental withdrawal of theneedles from their respective stopples.

2. A donor set comprising a length of flexible tubing, a needlepierceable stopple in each end of the tubing positioned inwardly fromthe extreme end thereof, a. pair of double ended needles, said needlesrespectively having end portions projecting axially through saidstopples and extending within the tubing, hub means fixed to each needlemedially of their respective ends, said means having an inner endportion removably fitted within the extreme outer end of the tubing thatextends beyond the stopple, a finger gripping member on the exposedportion of said hub means for the application of the needle and hubmeans to the tube and stopple.

3. A donor set comprising a length of flexible tubing, a needlepierceable stopple in each end of the tubing positioned inwardly fromthe extreme end thereof, a pair of double ended needles, said needlesrespectively having end portions projecting axially through saidstopples and extending within the tubing, hub means fixed to each needlemedially of their respective ends, said means having an inner endportion removably fitted within the extreme outer end of the tubing thatextends beyond the stopple, a finger gripping member on the exposedportion of said hub means for the aplication of the needle and hub meansto the tube and stopple, said inner end portion of the hub means beingcylindrical and slightly swelled in diameter between its ends to stretchthe tubing and resist accidental removal therefrom.

4. In a doner set comprising a length of flexible tubing, a needlepierceable stopple fitted in an end thereof inwardly from the tube endand a double pointed needle projected into the tube coaxially throughthe stopple; said needle having two bead-like bodies fixed thereonintermediate its ends, of slightly greater diameter than the insidediameter of the tubing, one of which is pressed into the tube end as asecuring element for the needle and the other being exposed at the endof the tube as a finger grip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSPittenger Dec. 17, 1918 Schwab Oct. 27, 1942

